Definition of Musical hallucination

Musical hallucination: A form of auditory hallucination in which music is heard, often the same piece of music. In most cases the music is familiar to the person.

Musical hallucinations are most common in older people, especially women, with hearing loss. This is due, it has been suggested, to sensory deprivation from the deafness. Beethoven had musical hallucinations after he became deaf.

Musical hallucinations may also result from specific lesions in the dorsal pons, a part of the brain stem; these lesions are most often from a stroke and less often from a brain tumor, encephalitis, or a brain abscess. Also known as musical hallucinosis.